Combination seal, drip tube, and dispensing unit



Dec. 23, 1947. SHAW 2,433,242

COMBINATION SEAL, DRIP TUBE, AND DISPENSING UNIT Filed Dec. 3, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l Z ZZ? Dec. 23, 1947. J. SHAW 2,433,242

COMBINATION SEAL, DRIP TUBE, AND DISPENSING UNIT Filed Dec. 3, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Dec. 23, 1947 CDMBINATION SEAL, DRIP TUBE, AND

' DISPENSING UNIT John Shaw, Chicago, Ill. Application December 3, 1945, Serial No. 632,478

2 Claims. (Cl. 128 -214) This invention relates to a unit adapted to seal a bottle containing liquid, and when desired to provide air to said bottle so that the liquid therein may be dispensed, and in the same combination to supply the features and advantages of. a visible drip tube.

. It is among the objectsof my invention to Provide a unit which may readily be attached to a container containing liquid, to seal the container, said unit having means for providing air for the bottle todisplace the liquidtherein and permit the liquid to flow therefrom. It is also among the objects of my invention that my unit shall be soconstructed that the air will pass through the liquid in a wash chamber before it passes into the container. Another object is to so construct my unit that it alsofunctions as a visible. drip tube. Thus I have acombination unit adapted to seal a, container, to provide washed air to dispense liquid froma sealed container and also to visibly show the flow through a drip tube.

.Heretofore users of adispensing cap could determine the flow of liquid by watching the bubbles appearing on the top surface of the liquid in the container. This was difficult and also uncertain.

Tests have been made showing that when the bottle was one-third emptied that the bubbles became irregular and therefore this method of gauging the flow was unsatisfactory.

Another way to determine the flow of the liquid like in the line of the parenteral administration tubing. This involved a separate member and the problems of assembling and cleaning of parts. ..During cases of emergency, delay caused by this cleaning and assembling of separate parts is serious, and its avoidance is desired. With my unit having a drip tube portion this need of assembling and the consequent delay is avoided.

My invention also contemplates such other objects; advantages and capabilities as will later more fully appear and which are inherently possessed by my invention.

While ,I have shown in the accompanying drawings a preferred form of my invention, yet I wish it understood that the same is susceptible of modification and change without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of one embodiment of my unit positioned in the neck of a container shown in section; Fig. 2 is a rear elevational view of the same; Fig. 3 is a top plan view; Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view on line 44 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a side elevational view in use; Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the complete apparatus; Fig. 7 is a sectional view on line 'l. of Fig. 5; and Fig. 8 is a sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 5; Fig. 9 is a sectional view of another embodiment; Fig. 10 is a sectional view on line lll-l0 of Fig. 9;

was to obtain and place a Murphy drip or the Fig. 11 is a sectional view of another embodiment;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view on line l2-l2 of Fig. 11; Fig. 13 is a sectional view of another embodiment; Fig. 14 is a sectional view on line M-IA of Fig. 13'; Fig. 15 is a, sectional view of another embodiment; and Fig. 16 is a top plan view.

. (The embodiment selected to illustrate my in- "vention comprises a body member In made of rubber or other suitable material, adapted to be attached to a transparent bottle or other suitable container ll containing sterile liquid to be dis- }pensed for parenteral injection. The body memher ID has a bottom [2 with side walls l3. Ex-

tending upwardly and integrally from the bottom l2, slightly beyond the center thereof, is a wall 15. Said wall l5 ends at. slightly beyond the centerof integral top. portion l6, leaving space between bottom and top portions I2 and Hi. Top portion I5 hasside walls I! and an overhanging fiange l8. The side walls I! engage the walls 14 within container II and flange l8 rests on top of side walls l4. The outer portions I9 of wall 15 also'engage Walls l4 so that the space ,betweenlbottom and, top portions [2 and I6 and 25 walls l4 and I9 forms liquid flow chamber 20.

. On the side of wall. l5, opposite to liquid flow chamber 20, the space between top and bottom portions 16 and 12, isdivided by integral partition 24, extending from bottom portion l2 to top portion l6. Said partition 24 is integral inwardly ..with wall l5 and its outer portion 25 engages the interior of walls M of container II. This provides an air inlet chamber 26 and an air wash chamber 21. The bottom 12 in air wash chamber 21 has an opening 28 therethrough, providing communication between air wash chamber 21 and the interior 23 of container ll. Adjacent the top portion of partition 24, a hole 29 extends therethrough to provide communication between air washchamber 27 and air inlet chamber 26. At the laboratory, my container II is filled with suitable solution, and the body member I0 is placed in position in the neck of the container II with side walls I! of top portion l6, outer por- 45..

tions [9 of wall [5, and outer portion 25 of partition 24, engaging the inner walls l4 and flange -18 on top of wall l4 forming a seal therewith.

When a parenteralinjecti-on is about to be given, a needle 30 is placed on the spot 3| on top portion l6, suitably marked In,, or the like.

.This spot 3| is directly above the air inlet chamber 26. The needle is pushed through top portion 16 into air inlet chamber 26, providing communication between air inlet chamber 26 and the atmosphere. This permits passage of air through 'hole 29 into air wash chamber 21 and through opening 28 into the interior 23 of container ll.

' Another needle 32 is placed on spot 33 o top portion 16, suitably marked Out, or the like. This spot 33 is directly above liquid flow cham- 3 her 20. The needle 32 is then pushed through top portion IS into liquid flow chamber 20, providing communication between needle 32, liquid flow chamber 1-20, and by opening 2| with the interior 23 of container H.

The bottle is then inverted and its swingable bail 34 is placed on standard 35. To needle 32 is attached suitable tubing 36 and attached at the opposite end for a parenteral injection, is injection needle 31.

Air coming from the atmosphere passes through air needle 30 into air inlet chamber 26 and through hole 29 into air wash chamber 21, thence through opening 28 into the interior 23 of container I l This permits fiow of the liquid in container l l down through liquid opening 2] and tip 22 to liquid flow chamber '20. As the liquid drips from tip '22, into liquid flow chamber 20, its dropping, or rate of flow, is visible through transparent wall I4. The liquid "passes downwardly through liquid flow chamber "20 into needle '32, through tubing 36 and needle '3! into the -patient. A clamp 38 is a'ttachedtotubing 36 for regulation of the flow of'the'liquid.

Liquid'also passes downwardly throughair in let hole 28 into airwashchamber 21 so that air coming into air washtchambenfl passes through 'said liquid before it passes through opening 28 into the container H.

'In another embodiment of my invention shown in "Figs. '9-10, my disclosure diifers from that shown in Figs. 1-8-in-that I'omit'partition 24 pro- "viding a'sing'leair chamber2'6 adapted to receive air from needle '30. The bottom 12 of chamber 26 has opening 28 "communicating with the interior23-of container 11.

Inanother embodiment of'my invention shown "in Figs. 11-12, body member 40 is so formed as to'fill the space cutaway'to form one or more air chambers inbody'member l'llin the'embodiment shownin Figs. 1-8. Anopening 41 extends ver- "tically in body member-40 from adjacent its top to the bottom, in which is housedby friction grip 'atube 420i glass-or-other suitable material. Top 46 of -body member 4D is "marked In or other suitable-indiciajustabove-tube 42 sothat air needle so may be pushed through top I-6 into tube i2. As=the bottom-o'f tube'42 is open, communi- "cation is provided with the interior 23 of the container H to supply air to displace the liquid to be removed for an injection. -Avariationof this embodiment as shown in Figs. 13-14 is to have openin 41 extend through the top 16 of body member H1 with the tube "42 Within said opening. AcoveringM keeps thisopening-4l olosed-and sanitary. The covering-44 is sealed in position by :a movableclosure 45 attached to the neck-of the container 11.

Another variation isto provide top portion I6 with an opening 46 therethrough,-leading to the 'liquidflow-chamber2fl. This opening would also be covered by covering 44 and closure 45, and upon their removal would beaccessible to receive zsuitable connec'tio'nwith tube 36. This is shown in Figs. 15-16.

Having thus described "my invention, I claim:

1. In combination with a'container having solution therein and-atransparent neck, a member having topand bottom portions and an integral iconnecting portion,-.-said member of such a'SiZe as 'to be positioned in said neck and seal said -.container, said connecting portion positioned to leave space on either side thereof between said top and bottom portions, one of said portions forming with the transparent neck a liquid flow chamber, the other of saidiportions forming with the transparent neck an .air inlet chamber, an opening through said bottom portion leading to said liquid flow chamber, a hole through said bottom portion leading to said air inlet chamber, said top member adapted to be pierced by a needle extending into said air inlet chamber for sup- :plying air from the atmosphere, said top portion also adapted to be pierced by a needle extending within the liquid flow chamber for receiving liquid from said container, said bottom portion having a hollow integral tip extending within said .liquid flow chamber and communicating with the opening in said bottom portion so that when the container is inverted the flow of liquid from said tip is visible through the transparent wall of the neck of said container.

2. In combination with a .container having sterile injection solution therein, and a transparent neck, a combination sealing, drip tube, dispensing device comprising a horizontal bottom portion, a horizontal top portion spaced there- 'from, a vertical wall integrally extending between said top and bottom portions slightly beyond the center thereof, leaving a large space on one side of said wall and a, smaller 'space'on'the other Side of said wall between said top and bottom portions, said top portions having an overhanging flange, said device adapted to be inserted within "the neck of a container so that the outer edges of said top and bottom portions and side wall engage the inside walls of said neck and said overhanging flange rests on the top of said neck for sealing said container, said larger space forming with the wall of said neck a liquid fi-ow chamber, said smaller space forming with the wall of said neck an air inlet chamber, said bottom portion having a hole extending therethrough and posi- 'tioned to provide communication between the interior of said container andsaid air inlet cham- "ber,'said bottom portion havin another opening extending therethrough'and positioned to provide communication between the interior of said container and said liquid 'fiow chamber, said top portion having an indication positioned above said air inletchamber and adapted to receive there- -"through a hollow needle "to provide communication between said air inletchamber and the atmosphere, said top portion having another indication positioned above said-liquid flow chamber, and adapted to receive therethrough a hollow needle to provide communication with said liquid flow chamber, a hollow tip "extending from "said bottom portionupwardly withinsaid air in- "let chamber andcommunicating with Said opening in said bottom portion so' that when said container is inverted and air provided, the flow of liquid from said tip is visible through said transparent wall of the neck-of said container.

JOHN SHAW.

REFERENCES CITED "The following references are -of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2156;313 schwab May 2, 1939 2,333,684 Schwab Nov. 9, 1943 2,426,733 Gee sept.2, 1947 

